August 20, 2012

And it’s time to begin yet another exciting week of real estate reaching. Burbed reader Tracy Tea House has a Real Bay Area Winner for us. Well, that is if by RBA I actually mean Not In The RBA No Way No How and if by Winner I really mean Pending in 3 Days but Would You Look At Those Photos!

708 AMANDA Dr
San Jose, CA 95136
$580,000; Sold for $574,000 on 8/15/2012

Since you like Redfin I have found you a good one: I love the fact that they list there is room for an organic garden! The pictures are really artistic, just like I like them. Pink color, weird shot of stairway. It actually looks real good for a flip, and the price is right, look at this one before it goes away!

Looks like we’re looking in the rear-view mirror, and what we’re seeing is just astounding. Someone cranked the Red filter up to 11.

And we assure you the inside photos continue the Avalanche of Awesomeness.

Photos like these moved a house in three days. Could you imagine just how many months it would take to sell your home if you didn’t hire a professional real estate photographer? Good thing this seller did… and considered all offers!

Three bedrooms, two bathrooms upstairs with an in-law unit down (not warranted). Remodeled kitchen. Updated bathrooms. Beautiful city views. Two car side by side garage. Quiet cul-de-sac location.

We didn’t even know that there was more than one Blossom Valley, let alone a Blossom Valley with City Lights views. And there are indeed City Lights views in the first picture, thanks to the glare off the car in the driveway.

Wonder why the listing copy isn’t screaming “Views! Views! Views!” Because this one ought to be adding another $150K to the asking price.

And we meant it about the big lot. Take a look!

And check out the listing history! This house could be the basis of its own soap opera.

Finally, it’s about time we ran another pink house in honor of our founder’s taste in paint.

Looking this listing over, I didn’t see that much wrong with it. Admittedly the décor’s a little out of fashion (okay, a LOT) and the agent could have done a better job with the photos.

Dim dining rooms, more granite than kitchen, and a sky that shrieks “This was shopped!” are mildly interesting, but not worthy of front-page status on Burbed. But “this one is definitely a must see,” yet I’m not talking about the house. Here’s why Ek sent this listing in:

Hidden Treasure in Blossom Hill. The garden with built in pool and outdoor area is just luxurious and you would think you are in the hills of Saratoga. .. .WOW. .. .must see. Unbelievable floor plan flows, step down from the large eat in kitchen to the open family room, great room, dining area with spectacular fireplace, lovely eye catching chandeliers. Perfect for family parties. Garden sold sep.

You would think you are in the hills of Saratoga, but you’re trying to convince a bank to let a short sale go through. And even if you can convince them to think they’re in the hills of Saratoga, you’re offering less than $500,000. In Saratoga, that won’t even build a pool house. You would think the bank would give you a pool and a house?

You would think that for half a million dollars, your house would show more than just the garage when you drive up to it. WOW.

You would also think that if the bank were serious about selling, they would think about some of the decor that prevented you from thinking about the Saratoga Hills. Large photographs of family members have this way of interfering with “Imagine yourself in your very own home.” You would think you are in the living room of some unlucky homedebtor instead, and you would think, “What if this is still overpriced and I end up underwater like these people?”

The unbelievable floor plan just flows. You would think these liquid metaphors are ill-advised with so many mortgages under water.

Then when you step into the garden with built in pool and outdoor area and you would think you are in the hills of Saratoga, the agent will remind you that said luxurious garden is sold separately. After all, you may think you are in the hills of Saratoga, but you step down to Blossom Hill. WOW.

Again, further evidence that San Jose is very affordable these days. At just $278 per square foot, they might as well be giving this house away.

But let’s look at what Sonarrat had to say:

I love the Hwy 82 flyover and U-Haul place in the streetview. Train tracks too!

Hm…

Wow! Talk about convenience! With easy access to roads, trains, even movers, this house maximum utility value. Just think about when you flip this house for tons of money – you’ll be able to zip away, and the new buyer will be able to zip in! Everyone loves a fast closing time and this house can deliver on that.

Personally, I think the real value in this house is to petition the trains to stop, so that you can provide a freight forwarding/moving service in conjunction with the UHaul lot across the street. Can you say “entrepreneur”?

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